The Royal Family in "The King and I."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film a: Stars: Voices of Miranda Richardson and Martin Vidnovic Director: Richard Rich Rated: G Length: 85 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(March 19, 1999) -- The idea of turning the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I into a family cartoon has merit -- in theory.

The tale of the 19th-century English schoolmarm named Anna and her encounter with the king of Siam offers plenty of opportunity for excitement, romance and the clash of two cultures. The widowed teacher even arrives with a little boy in tow, giving younger viewers a character with whom to identify.

Then there are those memorable songs, including Shall We Dance and Hello, Young Lovers. The exotic setting, too, would seem heaven-sent for animators.

Alas, opportunity and execution are two different things. The new King and I is largely a disappointment.

The animation is flat, stiff and not very imaginative. It would be at home on Saturday-morning television.

But the big problem is the script by committee. I guess I understand the need to allow the king to live in this version, though some of the most dramatic moments in classic cartoons involve death. (Think of Bambi's mother.)

But did the writers have to turn the king into an action hero? By the end of the film, the king of Siam is swooping to the rescue on a rope, dangling from a hot-air balloon. (Don't ask.)

The king's prime minister is now a flamboyant villain with mystical powers and a magic mirror. He even sends a sea dragon to threaten Anna and her son when their boat approaches Siam.

The script is replete with cuddly animals, including a monkey, a white elephant and a black panther, in case the kids get bored with the humans.

The writers have drained The King and I of all semblance of subtlety and grace, though they deserve credit for eliminating the long Uncle Tom's Cabin sequence that burdened the original film.

The voice performances here, by Miranda Richardson as Anna and Martin Vidnovic as the King, are adequate, but Richard Rich's direction is flat.

The cartoon King and I may hold the attention of some children while it's on the screen, but it may not stay in their memories by the time they reach the parking lot. At the screening I saw, I was surrounded by several inordinately restless boys.

I still have fond memories of the original The King and I film, which I saw at age 11. To say a film is "just for kids" -- meaning it doesn't have to be artful or even slightly challenging -- doesn't give children enough credit.

Rent the original video for the family, and see if I'm not right.